KATHMANDU: Minister for Health and Population, Pradeep Paudel, has warned that private medical colleges failing to provide allowances equivalent to the government’s eighth-level officer to residential doctors will be denied all forms of facilities from the Ministry of Health.

Speaking at a press conference organized at the Ministry on Friday in the presence of the Nepal Medical Association to address demands from doctors, Minister Paudel emphasized that the government’s decision must be implemented without exception.

“The Medical Education Commission’s meeting on Magh 25 decided that residential doctors must be provided living allowances equivalent to eighth-level officers in the Ministry of Health,” he stated. “This is not an act of charity. You earn it through your work.”

He further added that failure to comply with the allowance provision will result in a complete cutoff of support from the Ministry. “If you don’t provide eighth-level equivalent allowances, you will not receive any privileges from the Health Ministry,” Paudel said.

The Minister also acknowledged concerns over excessive working hours and academic disruptions. “We need to create a situation where doctors are not forced to work more than 72 hours per week. Leave provisions such as funeral leave should be ensured, and government holidays must be managed in a way that does not affect academic calendars,” he said, assuring that the Ministry is positive about addressing these issues.

This comes amid growing pressure from medical professionals demanding fair compensation and working conditions in private institutions across Nepal.